Data Security: A People Problem

April 12, 2016

Phishing Scams – A People Problem

There are some things that only people can fix. There are many security risks to which yourdata is susceptible, but there is one method that remains a wonderfully effective hacking tool.That is the phishing scam. This is a legitimate looking email that asks the reader to click on alink. If clicked, the link can infect the user’s computer with malicious software that can stealpasswords, logins, and other critical data. Alternatively, the email appears to be from alegitimate source, perhaps even duplicating a legitimate webpage. The distinction is that thephishing email asks the user to enter personal information, including passcodes. In either case,that is how hackers easily get into your systems.

What’s the best defense against this one? The single biggest defense is education. Trainingyour people to be constantly wary of all the emails they receive. One way some firms areeducating their people is by sending out their own “fake” phishing scams. Employees who clickon the link inside are greeted with a notice that they’ve fallen for a phishing scam and then areoffered tips how not to be fooled in the future. Think of it as the hi­-tech version of Punk’d.

You may not be ready to go that far, but it is important to provide ongoing training to all of yourstaff about phishing scams. Your staff are all critical factors in your data security plans.